


kiss me deadly

by gghoulish



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, only minor mentions of abuse. this is just somethin nice and sweet!, this is s3 au- no mindflayer just scoops ahoy and billy's lipgloss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 04:30:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21404221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gghoulish/pseuds/gghoulish
Summary: "Punch me, Harrington," was the last thing he expected to hear coming from those suspiciously shiny lips. "Do it as hard as you can. Then we'll be even."
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 14
Kudos: 303





	kiss me deadly

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired by one of my popular posts on tumblr, as well as a few ideas some people gave me.

After the shitshow at the Byers house, Steve felt like any confrontational bones in his body had been broken and never healed. He found himself flying under the radar, doing school work, ignoring drama, and slowly, but surely, becoming a taxi service to what felt like every damn kid in Hawkins.

It was better than it'd been before, though. He wouldn't admit it to the little shits, but he'd felt lonely before he'd had the kids to tote around. Sure, he was worried shitless about them a lot of the time, but they were still some form of friends to him. Especially Dustin and Will, who'd grown ridiculously close to him--- to an extent where one Saturday night, the most exciting option for him was sleeping over at Dustin's house while they watched a Sci-Fi movie marathon.

Though everything was still fresh in his mind (_ hard to forget, really _ ), one of the few things he completely glossed over was the ass-kicking he'd received. Compared to demodogs and every other shitty thing, getting his face beat in wasn't that exciting. Besides, Billy Hargrove had left him alone ever since. Didn't start shit with him at school, and definitely didn't start shit with Max. The most of what Steve remembered from that experience was what the kids told him; that Max had threatened Billy, and if he had anything reminiscent of a brain clattering about in his skull, he wouldn't fuck with her. Or the kids. Or Steve, since he seemed to be one of her _ friends _now.

He was pretty sure that Billy hadn't spoken more than two words to him the last few months. It was past Winter, skating into Spring, and his life had felt peaceful enough. A routine he could get used to again, ** _maybe_ ** . He sucked at school work, but that was nothing new--- at least he could reliably drive some of the kids around. He wasn't very interested in what they did, but he _ tried _to keep an eye on them, at least.

Then again, if the little shits wanted to do something, they'd do it either way. He didn't think anything could stop them; he could be stupid, but he wasn't _ that _ damn dense. He'd learned that a few weeks into being _ friends _with Dustin, at which point he'd been gifted a radio and been told to keep an ear out.

All things considered, he was pretty content with leaning against his BMW in the arcade parking lot, a sigh leaving his lips as he got a cigarette out. He didn't smoke much anymore (_ Dustin complained whenever he smelled like tobacco, and something about the whole demodog experience made him less interested in smoking _), but taking a drag from the cigarette felt soothing. Something else that was normal and routine, and at least you couldn't smoke something wrong. Unless you were a real fuck up, anyway.

Well, he probably shouldn't have thought that. He choked while exhaling when he spotted Billy Hargrove approaching him, with no less ego than usual. Even if he'd been quieter and less pushy, it didn't mean he'd lost his cocky attitude at all. It was still strange, however; they had passed each other in silence before, whenever dropping the kids off or waiting for them. He wondered why it was different this time.

Some part of him wondered if this was it, if Billy finally wanted to finish that fight they'd had. But Steve was pretty sure that the front of an arcade joint wasn't the ideal place to kill a man, so he kept himself from feeling too panicked.

"Punch me, Harrington," was the last thing he expected to hear coming from those suspiciously shiny lips. "Do it as hard as you can. Then we'll be even." The offer _ almost _tempted him. He'd considered approaching Billy and getting even, but as the days turned into weeks, which obviously had now turned into months, he'd cared less and less.

Billy seemed to notice this by the disgruntled and shocked look he was given. Billy rolled his eyes and clapped a hand down on Steve's shoulder. He had no idea of all the other shit that'd gone on that night, so as far as Billy knew, he was the hottest shit to have hit Hawkins since the year they'd had a record-breaking temperature in July of 1972.

"C'mon, you haven't gone that soft. The kids turn you into a fuckin' mom after all, Harrington?" It was obviously meant to provoke him, and Steve did admittedly feel a little pissed. He weighed the pros and cons to punching Billy--- came out with his hand being sore as the _ worst _drawback. He'd live with that. Fuck it. The kids could peel him off the pavement if Billy decided to pummel him into it.

What Steve didn't really take into consideration was the fact that a lot had changed since the night of their fight--- Steve was twice as tense, these days. Always on the lookout for trouble. He'd never been inactive by any means, but sports didn't take the edge off anymore; he found himself taking runs, biking, and doing anything to get his mind off of the worries that only grew bigger each day.

So when he punched Billy Hargrove, he didn't think much on the fact that he was stronger than he was before, or that he might actually want to have some restraint. He panicked when his fist connected and he saw Billy fall, almost comically, to the pavement. That was _ not _what he'd been expecting. And somehow, it was a lot less rewarding than he thought it'd be.

"Oh, shit. Hargrove? You okay?" He was panicking, standing over Billy for a few seconds before he grabbed at the guy's shirt, attempting to shake him awake. For a good bit, he was worried he'd fucking killed the guy. When Billy opened his eyes, it was a relief, but he looked massively confused and definitely dazed. To him, Steve looked like a worried mom, not a guy who'd just knocked him out.

He couldn't help but fucking laugh. Blood was pouring down from his nose and into his mouth, and all Billy Hargrove could do was cough and laugh like he'd just been told the funniest joke. Chances were, he'd never get over Steve Harrington looking down at him, framed by the dying glow of the sun and looking like a damn avenging angel.

"Didn't know you had it in you, pretty boy," was all he said as Steve's grip loosened. he was let go and instead of taking the hand offered to him, he just laid on the cold cement, laughing heartily with a hand to his stomach. If anything, the laughing fit would kill him, not a punch from Steve. He wasn't going to admit that Steve nearly knocking him into his next life was a little bit hot, but it was--- then again, everything about the guy was intoxicatingly _ hot _. 

Billy had asked for a lot of trouble over the years, but this may've been the one time he didn't regret his antics. It was hard to regret it when Steve eventually joined in on the laughter, his laugh a melody Billy had never heard before--- and then once Billy got up, they leaned against his BMW and chatted a bit, Steve lending him a scarf so that he could press it to his bleeding nose. As if he wasn't the one who'd nearly broken it. It was weird, but so were they.

It was also kind of nice, actually. The kids were more than a little frightened to see a bloodied Billy in the parking lot, but the strikingly lighthearted nature of it all seemed to soothe them. Max gave him a threatening glance, but it was obvious that he hadn't laid hands on Steve.

He had no plans on doing that, at least not like he had at the Byers house. Even if it was far from in a traditional sense, Billy had asked for forgiveness in his own way, and he wasn't the sort to go back on that. The punch had been a promise; he wasn't going to fuck with Steve--- or at least not to that kind of an extreme--- and Billy Hargrove was a lot of things, but he wasn't one to go back on his promises.

Steve, against all odds, had understood this unusual language Billy used, and he felt at least some of the tension he carried, dissipate, allowing him to bump his shoulder against Billy as they laughed at how shocked the kids were.

A lot of fucking weird shit had happened lately. This wouldn't be the weirdest.

\---

They'd been playing baseball, ever since Billy found one of his spare, non-nailed bats in his trunk and asked him why the fuck he brought it everywhere. With a lack of excuses, Steve just said a lame 'I like baseball', and then they were playing at the park, some of the kids lingering nearby.

"Damn, you're a good batter, Harrington," Billy was genuinely impressed when he, again, shot a ball literally out of the park. It was hard to play baseball with Steve, his instincts told him to hit it harder than would ever be necessary in Hawkins Park. But there was something about it that made his ego blossom. He wasn't complimented a lot, these days.

"You wanna bat?" Steve observed as Billy scrunched his nose up and shook his head. He shrugged, deciding to swing experimentally while Billy went to find a ball. Max, who'd tagged along to read some comics while the boys had a picnic, came up beside him while Billy was absent.

"You know--- you don't have to hang around him, right?" She sounded skeptical, which Steve figured was justified.

"I'm not scared of him, Max," Steve hoped he didn't seem that pathetic--- he wouldn't let Billy boss him around without a bit of a damn fight. "He's not so bad. We're just having fun," he did think it was a little strange but, hey, he didn't have a lot of friends.

"Gossiping about me?" Billy asked that as he came back into sight, tossing the baseball up and down in the palm of his hand. Steve rolled his eyes.

"You wish, Hargrove," Steve gave a teasing smile, and Max went back to the picnic, watching as Steve's smile turned to a grin, Billy's expression playful as they continued their game. It wasn't like either of them would win--- it was just for fun, which was an odd concept, when faced with Billy Hargrove.

"You surprise me, Harrington. You're not just a pretty face," Billy teased him as they walked back to their cars, and Steve shoved him, putting on a fakely insulted expression. It escalated after a few moments, but it was odd--- it was lighthearted. Billy had him on the grass, and despite being the shorter of the two of them, he definitely had weight and muscle on his side. Steve had his face pressed into the grass, yelping as he felt Billy's fingers brush over his back. At first it was coincidence, but the obvious reaction made Billy grin wickedly. Who knew it, Steve Harrington was ticklish.

"H---hey! Not fair! ** _Cheater_ **!" He whined, not exactly sure of how he got to this moment in his life--- a Sunday afternoon, Billy Hargrove wrestling with him in a park, and the kids watching, bemused, from afar. "You lil' shits, you not gonna help?" 

It was more than a little funny when the herd of nerds came tumbling over to swamp Billy, and it was in that moment that Steve remembered things he'd heard about Billy. About how he'd been taking Max and Lucas out--- how he'd covered for Max more than a few times. He didn't go out to parties as much, either, always did whatever Max asked. He saw that bond clearly when Max put him into a headlock he could easily get out of, and Steve couldn't help the soft smile that came to his lips as the kids pinned Billy to the ground.

"Damn, okay, you win, you fuckers," Billy didn't put forth any effort to get them off, so it was a bit before Dustin, Lucas, and Will dispersed. Max and Billy continued to push each other around and he messed up her hair in revenge. She tried her best to do the same, but she couldn't quite reach his hair.

It was cute. Steve didn't know if it'd last, but it was nice.

\---

Billy and Tommy had spent the better part of the Winter and Spring as friends--- hellions to Hawkins High, if nothing else. But nowadays, Billy snarled when he saw Tommy, acted like he'd pissed in his cereal every morning. Steve wasn't the judgy sort, so he didn't question it (_ Tommy was a dick, after all _ )--- just found it weird when suddenly, Billy Hargrove was parked at his table during lunch, going on about inane things. Sometimes Steve would think Billy was going to be like he used to--- they'd exchange cold looks, Billy would seem _ mad _, sometimes, but yet he never did anything about it. Sometimes Billy came to school with bruises--- bruises Steve didn’t know the origin of, and bruises Billy wouldn’t talk about. A while into sharing lunch with each other, Steve had learned it was better not to mention it.

It was like that, until Steve took a sick day. First sick day in months--- maybe even a whole year, which was a record for him. He figured Billy could manage the circus of children, so he didn't feel too guilty about being out of commission on a Friday.

What he didn't expect was someone knocking at his door. No one really came over, these days, and for a few seconds, he was tempted to just let the person leave. He was settled on the couch and had _ just _ gotten comfortable. But the knocking and doorbell ringing was insistent, and he sighed as he got up and limped his way there.

"Finally, Harrington. The curly haired kid said you got hurt. What's up?" Steve hadn't expected _ Billy Fucking Hargrove _ to be on his doorstep, but stranger things had happened. He didn't leave room for argument as he pushed his way in, though he did eye Steve up and down, noticed the limp as he moved out of the way. Billy didn't hesitate to move closer and offer him a shoulder, which wasn't what he'd expected, on top of every other weird thing that was transpiring.

"Uh--- nurse said it was stress," and that he'd probably pulled a muscle. He wasn't surprised. He'd been sent home early from school when he was caught limping after PE. He didn't want to think much on it, so he started the venture to the living room, feeling chest go a little tight at how Billy looped an arm around his waist. He half-expected Billy to tease him, ask _ well what's so stressful for you, pretty boy? _ but instead, Billy sat next to him, pushed a hand against his chest.

"Give me your leg," was all he said, and Steve was a little shocked. He wasn't sure if he wanted to, but he did it just to see what the Hell Billy had planned. Evidently, it was to gently press his fingers into the flesh of his calf. It made Steve wince and jolt a bit, not used to the sensation, especially when he was so sore.

"Hurts here, huh?" Billy was all calm consideration as he gently--- _ massaged? _ Steve's leg. Ocean-blue eyes were downcast as he focused on what he was doing--- which admittedly, was making Steve feel a bit better, after he let out an embarrassing whimper at the pain.

"Y--- yeah, man, what're you _ doing _ ?" He knew, _ kind of, _ what he was doing. But **why**, was the question.

"Shut up, Harrington. Can't you be grateful for shit?" Billy rolled his eyes as he looked up at him, hands creeping higher up, past his knee, as he spoke. It made Steve freeze, praying his cheeks didn't have the blush he thought they did. The worst part of the embarrassment was that Billy _ was _ being considerate. He wasn't being a snarky shit right now, he actually seemed to _ care _.

"S--- sorry. Thanks," he mumbled, looking away as Billy continued, sinking back into the couch cushions and letting himself relax. By the end of the massage, his leg felt a lot better--- the ache surrounding his knee and shooting down his calf was mostly gone.

"Still gotta rest, pretty boy," Billy said, getting up from the couch--- and Steve, in a slight panic at the idea of being left alone, blurted out,

"you--- you wanna stay?" And as unsureness was apparently all he was allowed to feel, the feeling swamped him as he stared up at Billy, who looked moderately shocked.

"..." There was a pause, a hand hooked into his pocket as he ran his tongue over his teeth. "Well, I guess Wheeler can drive the kids around for once," he sounded thoughtful, shrugging. Nancy seldom drove the kids around, but surely between her and Jonathan, someone would manage. 

Billy ended up calling Nancy, which was not the most pleasant surprise for her, and then he ordered pizza. They sat on the couch for most of the night, asides from when Billy hauled him outside so they could smoke. His mom complained about the smell of cigarettes inside, so it was easy to sit beside the pool and enjoy the brisk weather, half-moon shining down on them.

"We really need to get you a date, Harrington. You're sad as shit," Billy said, eyebrow raised as he stared at him.

"You wanna help me get dates, man? 'cause ladies aren't lining up. You're the King of Hawkins High, now," Steve was mostly being sarcastic, but he was a little worried about the serious and contemplative look on Billy's face.

"Sure," Billy said, and Steve's eyebrows shot up.

"Sure?"

"Sure. I'll help you get some girls, Harrington. Least I could do," he shrugged, like that wasn't a weird fucking idea, and then he broke out into a grin. "Plenty of fish in the sea, right? More than enough for you n' me," though something about how he said it--- Steve couldn't pinpoint it, but something was off. He sounded sincere, though, and it made Steve cough and sputter a bit.

"O---okay, shit," he rubbed a hand over his face.

"We'll get you a girl next weekend, Harrington. I promise." It wasn't a promise he expected or really even wanted but--- the playful look on Billy's face made him think it couldn't be so bad.

\---

He was very wrong. Getting girls went about as well as a house on fire, and the weekend crashed and burned just as badly. It was another two weeks before Billy even approached the subject, which surprised Steve, since he figured Billy to be the sort to be smug about it immediately. Turns out, Billy liked to wait a while and then slap him back to reality.

"Man, when was the last time you got fuckin' laid?" Billy's voice cut into his thoughts as he stared into his mirror. The frown on his face morphed into a shocked expression as he eyed Billy through the mirror.

"What the fuck, why's that any of your business?" He crossed his arms, cheeks pouted out. Billy leaned over and rested his head on his shoulder.

"Yeah. Whatever. How about you and me go out? You gotta at least try to challenge me, Harrington. I stole your title," it was a weak taunt, one that would've normally fell on deaf ears. It wasn't like Steve gave much of a shit about his reputation anymore. He hung out with middle schoolers and was little more than a glorified babysitter.

"It'll be better than last time. No arguments," Billy decided that at some point, a hand going to Steve's to drag him away and towards his bed. He sat him down, went through his closet, pulled out an outfit he'd kill to see Steve in, and promptly started to do Steve's hair after he got changed. Steve wanted to complain, but Billy pressed a finger to his lips and gave him a _ look _.

"You're the prettiest boy in Hawkins, it's time to get you a fuckin' girl."

\---

To Billy's credit, he did get a few girls to go on dates with him in the coming weeks. Nothing ever stuck, but they ended up going on double dates. More often than not, it'd end with him and Billy, standing around by their cars, chatting by themselves, the girls long gone. It became a routine.

They'd do each other's hair, sometimes. After a few weeks, Steve shared some of his hairspray, and Billy revealed the secret to his shiny, pink lips--- lipgloss, which he let Steve use. It was something oddly intimate, for the both of them. As they got closer to graduation, they spent more and more time together--- Billy had even taken to helping him with his remaining schoolwork. Who knew it, Billy Hargrove was actually pretty damn smart.

Summer was closing in, and Steve knew damn well he wasn't getting into any colleges. Billy had not expressed an interest in such, and whenever asked, he shrugged. Maybe they were in the same boat, but Billy obviously had the potential--- he could leave Hawkins, if he wanted to. But he had shown no desire, somehow.

Mostly, the biggest part of their lives was their weekly wanderings in the freshly built mall. But right now, 6 pm on a Friday night, he could tell Billy was pacing back and forth in his own home, impatient to leave, despite their plans having fallen through.

"Billy, I told you--- they cancelled," Steve's voice bordered on a _ whine _as he leaned against the wall, phone in hand as he tried to convince Billy that there was no reason to go out. He didn't have it in him to flirt with new girls--- it'd been a disaster enough to convince the girls to go out with them, and he was pretty sure they'd cancelled just because of how lame he was.

"Oh come on, Harrington. You need a girl to go out and do shit? You turning into a housewife on me?" Steve grumbled when he heard Billy's response, only getting out a quick, "fine, see you there," before he slapped the phone back onto the receiver.

The worst part of it all was that spending time with Billy _ was _ fun. Truth be told, Steve preferred the times they spent by themselves. Even if he had a date, Steve was prone to staring at Billy, admiring all the charm he put on. It wasn't even that he was jealous of Billy--- he'd long since gotten over the funeral of his own charms, and honestly, even if he felt like he made an ass of himself whenever he tried to get a date, he didn't hold it against Billy. _ If anything, he was jealous of the people who got to experience Billy's flirting. _

The drive to the mall felt excruciating, but seeing Billy leaning against his Camaro, wide grin on his lips as the dying sun glowed behind him, made his heart feel warmer. His anxiety and grumpyness faded as soon as he got out of his car and felt Billy put a hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon. Boys night. I'll treat ya, Harrington," and then they were on their way inside, Billy promising to buy them tickets to a movie--- a James Bond one, which Steve wasn't terribly interested in, but sharing popcorn and sitting next to Billy made it fun.

Next week, they'd be graduating, and a part of Steve feared things would somehow change. That they wouldn't see each other as much, or that Summer would make them drift apart. Billy had already nailed a job down at the pool, even though it was mostly too cold to swim. Dustin was going away to camp in a few weeks, and he felt the sinking sensation that he'd be _ alone. _

"You okay, Harrington?" Billy asked that at one point, gazing over at him during the movie.

"Yeah--- I'm good," he lied, smiling and passing it off as being nothing. When the movie was done, he felt worse, blew Billy off when he suggested getting ice cream and left in a hurry. Didn't make him feel any better, but at least being in his car gave him some peace.

He wasn't too sure of when he'd gotten so attached to Billy, but the thought of being without him was depressing Steve. The next day, when Dustin asked him why he sounded so down, he didn't have an answer, he just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know, he couldn't _ explain, _ so he'd just let the subject be dropped.

\---

Under the guise of school and babysitting Max, Billy had gotten away from the house for a myriad of reasons in the last few months. He felt dread set in as he argued with his father--- about how he didn't want to go on their Summer trip, because he had plans--- and that was one of the first times he'd been hit across the face, in the last few months. Neil had never stopped with the harmful words or hurtful shoves and threats, but it was a wake-up call. Neil was no better than he had been in the past.

Billy had gone off by himself, not expecting anyone to find him, until he felt a familiar presence beside him as he leaned against the wall of the general store. He'd walked there, too--- hadn't bothered to find his keys before he stormed out of the house.

"Hey, you okay?" Steve asked it quietly, a hand going to Billy's back. He looked stressed as fuck, and the touch made him flinch. Steve frowned, tilting his head, giving Billy a doe-eyed look that made it impossible to be mad at him.

"I'll be fine," he lied, and Steve looked at him more closely, making him feel uncomfortable. Steve hadn't been hanging around him much, didn't sit with him at lunch as often, and now he was all up in his business?

"Let's get you some ice," was all he said, sounding sympathetic. He wasn't sure of how much Steve knew about him, but he hadn't gotten into fights at school at all since New Years. Steve's concerned gaze aimed at his knuckles would tell him enough, that Billy hadn't fought back.

"I'll be back. Meet me in my car," Steve tossed his keys at him, then, and Billy was a little shocked. He watched as Steve went into the store, leaving him behind and letting him go to the BMW. Billy felt oddly relieved to sink into the passenger seat, sighing as he buckled himself in. When Steve plopped down into his seat, he was handed the ice, wrapped in a dish towel (_ which, Billy realized, was a little odd, but Steve was also _ ** _very _ ** _ odd, so who cared _). It was soothing to put against his face, wiping some of the blood from his nose.

"Thanks," he was quiet, unsure of what to say, but Steve only smiled, a billion watt smile, and nodded.

"Yeah, man, no problem," and Steve was on his merry way--- driving them straight to his house. Didn't even ask if Billy wanted to go there, because he knew damn well Billy didn't want to go back to his own house.

A few minutes inside and Steve had escorted him to the couch and insisted he sit and rest. He showed back up with some drinks and chips a bit later, turning the TV on and sitting eagerly next to him, as if he needed the moral support. _ Which he did _.

"Why don't you let me--- uh, y'know. Like you did for me..." Steve's hand was pressed to his back, trying, Billy supposed, to massage the tense spots. He wasn't bad at it, either, and Billy relented, letting him do whatever he wanted. He'd made a habit of massaging Steve's legs or back every now and then--- the guy was ridiculously tense, at times. He didn't often expect that in return, though, but he had to admit, it felt nice that someone cared enough to do that for him.

"Thanks, Steve," he wasn't sure if he'd called him _ Steve _ in a long time, but it felt right. He felt him pause for a moment or two, before he resumed.

"S'all good," Steve's words sounded a bit clumsy, but he didn't look uncomfortable. He had a shy smile on his face, though it was quick to disappear. Billy kind of cherished the moment for what it was worth--- and made sure to bring Steve a pack of cigarettes as thanks, when he saw him at school the next day.

\---

He swore that Steve Harrington was making him into a damn nerd. He could be caught, singing along to songs with him as they drove places. Sometimes they'd share a grin, windows down as they were in separate cars, the same music playing from each of them. They even hung out with the kids, for Christ's sake--- Graduation was only in a few days, and Billy was pretty damn sure the kids would rope him into a lot more activities.

He didn't mind, really. Steve was going to be missing Dustin (_ yes, he'd learned the kid's name, finally _), and that meant he'd probably want to hang out more--- or at least, he assumed that, until he noticed how Steve was acting. Billy felt a pang of worry whenever he saw Steve, who only grew quieter and more distant as graduation approached.

"I'm not going," Steve had said, to the prospect of going to the graduation party that someone was throwing. Billy had already said he was going, and yet, he still blurted out, "me neither."

They spent the night together drinking beers. It was weird to think that this had started with a punch, and continued with him trying to find Steve a date. No matter how hard he tried, or how hot a girl was, Steve never seemed interested. He wondered if he was still attached to Wheeler. Maybe he wondered that a bit too much, since he clumsily asked,

"You still sweet on her?"

And the look he got was priceless--- in both a bad and good way. Steve looked shocked, considered his answer, and shook his head.

"I don't think so. Just--- girls, they're not..." He trailed off, biting his lip and staring into his can of beer. "I dunno, man. They don't like me much," even the ones he'd gone on dates with, had grown tired of him. If they hadn't, he'd gotten tired of them instead. "I'm a pretty shitty boyfriend, anyway."

Billy was shocked to hear that, eyebrows furrowing. He'd heard that Nancy had said shit about him, but he didn't think Steve had taken it to heart. It'd been a long time since they broke up.

"I doubt you are," was all he got out, dropping the subject and offering Steve a cigarette. It was a good decision, since it distracted them both. Graduation hadn't been so bad, asides from Steve's parents looking pissed in the crowd, and Billy was pretty sure he didn't want to go home tonight.

He didn't mind. They drank well into the night, sitting together at the quarry--- Billy broke out some weed at some point, and somewhere along the way they fell asleep, leaning against each other, the sun coming up.

\---

Steve felt Billy lean in against his shoulder. He'd plugged his headphones into his stereo, so he couldn't hear anything, but he felt Billy's breath near his neck. He shifted to twist a side of the headphones, enough for his friend to lean in and listen. It was a wordless exchange as the song switched to I Melt With You. Steve felt Billy's gaze on him, Billy's hands gently resting on his shoulders; it felt oddly intimate, despite being so simple.

_ I'll stop the world and melt with you, _

"Nice sound, Harrington," he didn't tease him, for once, about being spoiled. It was a rarity for Billy to just _ enjoy _what they had, when they had it. Steve had to suppress the urge to smile like an idiot.

_ You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time, _

"Yeah," Steve knew this song by heart. Billy probably did, too. But Billy definitely didn't spend late hours on the weekends listening to this record, spacing out. Steve didn't hesitate to take the headphones off, turning and reaching up to put them on Billy. He could still hear the music, just barely, and he smiled.

Something indescribable happened as he stared into Billy's ocean-blue eyes. He felt his mouth go dry, unable to look away. Billy didn't look at him for a few seconds, busy adjusting the headphones, but when he did look back to Steve, he seemed just as caught up in the wordless tension.

_ There's nothing you and I won't do; I'll stop the world and melt with you. _

\---

His fingers lingered against those blond curls. For only a moment, but it felt like a century, the sensation fresh on Steve's fingertips. He tried not to make it awkward as he gazed at Billy. It felt so right, to lean over, to fix Billy's hair absentmindedly--- and even though this was far from the first time they'd done this, Billy still insisted on applying Steve's lipgloss. He said he was better at it than Steve ever would be, and Steve didn't doubt that at all. 

There was always something beautiful about Billy as he got ready. He looked so elated, like he was drunk off his own presence--- he'd smile in the mirror, proud of himself in a way that Steve didn't otherwise see. It was different than when they played sports or got good grades--- Billy looked like an entirely different man whenever he got all dolled up.

Steve kind of loved it. And he found himself doing the same, too--- he'd lost his fire when it came to _ looking good _, but Billy had gently reignited his love for his looks. He found that he didn't care about girls at all anymore, so long as he could spend his weekends with Billy.

Spring had rolled into Summer, and suddenly they both had jobs. Okay, maybe it wasn't so sudden--- but it'd been a rude awakening. Despite Billy's genuine efforts in tutoring him, it had been a little bit late in the game for improvement. At least he'd graduated. He had that to his name. And his shitty job at Scoops Ahoy, which Billy would never let him live down.

"_ Looking good, Sailor Boy _," he'd said, once--- eyed Robin up in a strange way, and she'd done the same to him. They didn't talk much, other than to tease him, and surprisingly, Steve was getting used to it.

Billy, meanwhile, refused to talk about college. Steve had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't going to stay in Hawkins past this Summer, and honestly he wouldn't blame Billy one bit for that. The only issue was, he was also pretty sure that Billy wouldn't hesitate to run once his Summer job was over. 

\--- that was an issue because, Billy was closer than ever. He stayed over nearly every night, or at least it felt like that. The guest room may as well be the Billy Room, as far as Steve was concerned. With Billy's step-mom and dad away on a trip, he had no reason to need to stay home, and Max had gone with them. But despite the closeness in proximity, Billy was more dishonest than ever. They didn't have many talks anymore, not ones of substance. Steve knew it wasn't because Billy was mad; he knew him well enough to know that it was because he was scared, or wary.

So he took a chance by sitting next to him on the guest bed, hands held together as he took a deep breath. He had been afraid of becoming distant from Billy only a little while ago, so it only felt right to at least _ try _ and see what was wrong.

"Hey--- uh. What's been up with you?" He'd never been good at approaching people. He felt like he was awful at having heart to hearts with his friends, even if he wanted to try and support them.

"What do you mean, Harrington?" Billy raised an eyebrow at him, blinking slowly. To his credit, he looked less frazzled than he had in the past few weeks.

"You... you're, uh. Just, not being yourself, I guess," Steve frowned, unsure of whether or not he _ knew _what Billy being himself was actually like. Maybe this was the real Billy, and he just hadn't known.

"For a guy who's stressed over half a dozen kids and has his head up his ass, you sure are one to talk," Billy didn't mean it offensively, but it still hurt to hear it. He had his reasons for worrying about the kids, and he knew he was an idiot at times--- but he wasn't being stupid right now.

"Sorry," despite knowing he wasn't in the wrong, it was an automatic response, "guess you can add Billy Hargrove to my list of worries," he felt a little dumber after saying that, his cheeks burning. The sun had been kind to him and given him a bit of a tan--- and a few sunburns--- so it was at least harder to notice his blush.

"Damn," Billy said that quietly, looking off towards a god-awful painting that Steve's mom had put on the wall. He seemed to debate the worth of being honest, and in the end, he sighed and flopped onto his back, staring at the ceiling.

"I just--- I wanna get out of here, you know? But I don't have the money," Steve watched as Billy rubbed his hands over his face. "And I don't know about---" Billy cut himself off, biting his lip.

"You don't know what?" Steve asked after a long pause, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, don't know if I wanna leave Hawkins yet," the unspoken issue of him also not wanting to be here wasn't added. Truthfully, Steve didn't know why Billy had any issue with deciding whether he stayed or left. He obviously viewed Hawkins as some sort of prison.

But maybe it was the company he kept. No matter how poorly he had treated Max upon moving to Hawkins, he seemed to have gotten closer to her since the fight at the Byers house. Felt kind of ironic. And on top of that, he'd made a few friends--- not Tommy H. or Carol, but Heather and Steve himself. Billy genuinely seemed to care for, if nobody else, the three of them--- him, Heather, and Max. Begrudgingly, he also seemed to care for Will.

"Guess we'll be stuck here together, then," Steve laid down next to Billy, gazing over at him, catching his blue gaze and smiling hesitantly. He felt Billy's hand near his, and their fingers were close enough to touch--- it was nice.

  
"Yeah," Billy spoke softly, a smile gracing his sun-kissed face. Somehow, it didn't seem like it'd be so bad, if they were together.

\---

Steve had done his best to hide the anxiety that ate away at him, but it was inevitable; Billy was coming over more and more, and he could tell when things weren't right. It was hard to ignore Steve falling apart, sitting against his bed and holding his head in his hands.

"I just... I get overwhelmed--- I know it sounds stupid," he sounded choked up, and Billy found himself on the floor next to him, an arm snaking around his waist to encourage him to lean against him.

"No, it's not stupid," Billy assured him, listening as he heard soft sniffles coming from Steve. He'd already cried a few times this week from nightmares, and even if they weren't as bad as they used to be, they'd ran him almost dry of tears. Billy seemed to pick up on the fact that he just needed somebody to be there with him, and he gave Steve the time to pull himself together.

Billy had never seen Steve so vulnerable, but he didn't mind it. He brushed some of the hair out of Steve's face when he looked up, and frowned at the few tears that had rolled down his face.

"We've all got shit that scares us," Billy tried to be comforting as he said that, and fortunately, it seemed to calm Steve. 

"Yeah. Yeah--- guess we do. Thanks," his smile was sad, but it was better then the tears or forlorn look from before. 

"Anythin' for you, pretty boy," the tone of voice was teasing as he ruffled Steve's hair, making him gasp and make a face--- typical Steve Harrington, even if he was crying his eyes out, he wanted to look somewhat decent.

"You're the nicest mean person I've ever met," Steve shoved at his shoulder and Billy broke out into a grin. He managed to get Steve to go downstairs under the guise of going for a smoke, but ended up pushing him into the pool--- proved that he _ was _ the nicest mean person Harrington had ever met--- and it was a good distraction, which Steve made more fun by dragging Billy in, the both of them howling with laughter as they pushed and shoved at each other. They'd regret soaking their clothes later, maybe.

\---

Billy made him a mixtape. Said it was because he needed better taste in music. Didn't mention that it was to fill the empty hours in which Steve's mind drowned in worries and anxiety. But Steve was pretty sure that's what it had been for.

He felt his heart grow warm, fluttering in his chest when he heard _ I Melt With You _come on. It was unlike every other song on the tape, and not anything he'd expected. He found himself falling asleep while listening to it, sometimes. Other times, he’d be rushing to turn it off before Billy arrived--- this was one of those times.

"Alright, Harrington, it's showtime," Billy was patting a hand against his back, and it did nothing to comfort him. Billy had nailed down a double date for them, and as soon as he saw the girl who was _ his _ date, he recognized her as one of the girls who had rejected his flirting only a week ago.

It was awkward to say the least, but Billy's charisma kept everything together. Billy's girl was a lot happier, and Steve felt his stomach churn for some reason, as he wrapped an arm around her waist and teased her. They were all going to party, which meant that Steve had to be alone in a car with his date for the ride there.

"So---" Steve tried, wincing as the girl popped a particularly loud bubble. She'd been chewing gum since they met up, and she looked unamused.

"Um," he was about to ask if she wanted some music on, but she did it herself--- turned the radio on and left no room for chatter. Probably the best decision, he figured. The car ride was mostly silent, and he was coming to regret these plans.

Billy got to the party first, escorting his date, Veronica, to the door and looking back to give Steve a wink. It did nothing to give him confidence, as his own date, Lily, didn't even want to walk next to him. Once she got inside, he didn't see her again, for a while--- he looked and looked, because her platinum blonde hair, all frizzy and fluffy, was hard to ignore--- but when he found her

"Thought Billy Hargrove would know somebody cool, what the Hell, Veronica?"

"Oh, come on. We can both share him, then," he saw Veronica roll her eyes and he felt heat rise to his face, frowning and backing away, out of sight. He had no clue where Billy was, instead beelining for the kitchen and finding some beer. By the time he came back out, he could see Billy--- Veronica on one arm, Lily on the other. 

It felt like lightning had struck him as Billy caught sight of him, insult added to injury as Veronica grinned and leaned up to whisper into his ear. Steve could barely manage the weak smile he put on before he turned and rushed out of the place, out into the humid night air, hand wrapped around his beer can and shaking.

_ Forever _ may as well have happened before the door opened, and he was sitting on the front steps, sipping at his beer and trying not to feel like a complete loser. When he felt a familiar had on his shoulder, he tilted his gaze up, seeing Billy looking down at him.

"Hey--- don't know what the fuck was up with them, but I don't care. You okay?" Steve knew Billy could be nice--- but having him sit next to him, putting a hand on his leg, and looking at him so genuinely full of concern--- it was ** _weird_ **.

"Man--- it's not your fault I'm fuckin' lame," he shook his head, looking away. He still felt Billy's hand on his thigh, his fingers gently rubbing against him. They did that, these days--- they'd touch each other, massage the tension out, but right now, it felt like the tension wasn't going to leave.

  
"You're still the prettiest boy in Hawkins, Harrington," he sounded serious, enough for Steve to turn his head back to him, confused as he blinked. He was caught off guard by the look Billy was giving him, something that seemed to hold a lot of emotion.

"Not so bad to look at yourself, Hargrove," it was practically a whisper, and he could feel himself getting lost in Billy's eyes, his gaze drifting to the blond curls he wanted to touch, to the cherry lips he wanted to _ taste _\---

oh, he was in deep. But not deep enough, not deep enough to do something stupid. 

"I'm gonna head home. Can you drive them home?" Or--- do _ whatever _. Steve didn't want to think about what Billy might do with them.

"Nah, they can find their own ride home. Let's go get somethin' to eat," Billy shrugged and got up, offering Steve a hand, looking completely satisfied with this change for their plans. It made Steve's heart flutter, and after Billy helped him up, he found himself holding his hand for a few seconds. 

"Yeah. That sounds good," and despite how shit his mood had been only a few minutes ago, he didn't feel so bad, when he knew he'd be spending the rest of his time with Billy.

\---

The next weekend, Billy had taken all the kids to the pool. It was Hell on Earth and Steve wondered why the lot of them didn't just wait until he was at home, so they could swim at his place--- but he figured there must be some kind of charm to the public pool.

When he visited during his lunch break, he saw the source of the charm.

Billy had come in a few times, sure--- in his apple-red shorts and tank top, but he hadn't come in shirtless. _No shoes, no shirt, no service_! Was a slogan everyone knew, and Steve was pretty sure Billy was the reason for it.

He couldn't help but gawk at Billy, and he nearly had a heart attack when he heard him blow his whistle.

"Harrington! Stop bein' a roadblock," everyone turned their gaze to Steve, and then to Billy, and Steve felt his face go on fire as he nodded and went off to find Dustin, who was sitting at the edge of the pool.

"You okay?" Dustin raised an eyebrow at him.

"Uh--- yeah. Sure."

"Billy's not usually that nice," he heard Will say, and Steve couldn't help but wonder--- _ nice _ ? That was ** _nice_ **? His gaze went up to Billy again and he swallowed, feeling way too hot. It only got worse when Billy descended from his seat and came over to him before he could escape.

"Hey, meet you tonight. Bring me some ice cream when you get off your shift," Billy winked, sauntering into break room and leaving Steve to feel a myriad of emotions.

\---

He was sweet on Billy Fucking Hargrove.

In retrospect, he should've known it. How his heart had jumped into his throat when Billy put an arm around his shoulders one time and said, '_ we have a date _', even though he knew damn well it wasn't one shared between them.

But that was the thing. More and more, their double dates were an excuse. Billy didn't even consider what the girls wanted these days. It was like some kind of unspoken game. And the last level was them sitting together, in Billy's Camaro, with Steve leaning in to wipe at some ice cream that had been smeared on Billy's upper lip.

His thumb had only just brushed over Billy's lip, before he was leaning closer, warmed by their proximity as a cool Summer breeze swept into the car. And then he was tasting Billy, and Billy tasted him back, painted his mouth with his strawberry flavored tongue. It made Steve moan, and he felt Billy's hand on his waist as he was dragged closer, onto his lap. This is what he'd wanted, he thought--- maybe he'd never wanted to start their stupid double-date bullshit. But it was only now that he felt confident enough to do anything.

And it was all sweeter than he'd expected, and no matter how intoxicated he felt, this was done entirely sober. He could feel Billy's hands on him, slipping down to his ass, and Billy pulled away to duck his head down and kiss at Steve's neck, like all of this had been a part of the plan. His lips were still sticky, and Steve could feel as Billy made a mess of his exposed skin.

"Damn, Bambi, where's the fire?" He sounded soft, like he had only a few times before. He also sounded like he was _ joking _ and Steve's head was _ spinning _ and he didn't know why the fuck he hadn't been turned away---

"Wh--- _ what? _" Steve couldn't keep the disbelief from his tone, trying to get Billy to stop his sticky voyage, though to no avail. He heard a faint laugh.

"You think I'd pass up making out with the prettiest boy in Hawkins?" Billy's words rumbled against his throat and Steve bit back a moan. He'd never gotten attention like this--- didn't know how to deal with it, especially not with how easy it seemed to come to Billy.

"Sh--- shit, Hargrove--- _ Billy _," he finally won Billy's attention, and he moved away from his neck, looking into Steve's eyes instead.

"Guess I'm your date tonight, pretty boy," Billy looked positively ** _wicked_ ** as he said that, making Steve shiver. He couldn't hide the doubtful look in his eyes, the look that asked if Billy was at all _ serious _.

"Is it so hard to believe I'd like you?" He almost seemed hurt, and Steve blinked wide, owlish at him.

"Uh--- yeah?" He hated how high his voice sounded as he said that. "You--- you can get any girl you want, Billy---" his response was muffled by the impulsive kiss that Billy gave him, and honestly, he was starting to forget any reason for this to be a bad idea.

"I'll let you in on a secret, I only offered to get us dates because I wanted to spend more time with you," and Steve didn't exactly doubt it, not when Billy was staring at him so intensely. It still flustered him, made his cheeks burn bright red. He could tell Billy was going to laugh before he even started. Steve felt utterly ridiculous, sitting on Billy Hargrove's lap, wearing the stupid Scoops Ahoy uniform.

"I only agreed because I wanted to spend more time with you," Steve said it bravely, despite his nerves almost killing him in the process. He wasn't sure if he could spit out that he _ liked _ Billy but he was pretty sure they both knew that. Billy was looking at him like he was something to fucking _ eat _and that shot confidence straight to Steve's dick.

"Then we have somethin' in common. Can we fuckin' kiss now, Steve?" A yelp ripped from his throat when Billy groped his ass, and he gave a determined look to Billy as he pressed his hands to either side of his face, bringing him in for a kiss, though not before saying,

_ "I'm about to rock your world, Hargrove." _


End file.
